Weekend
by Kassandra Black
Summary: Shenko fluff! Shepard realizes her growing attraction for Kaidan after her mother invites him over to the Shepard home for the weekend.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Just a bit of Shenko fluff. Nothing too long; maybe one or two more chapters. Enjoy!**_

_**~Kassy**_

* * *

Shepard fidgeted in her seat as she glanced nervously at the man sitting next to her. Lieutenant Alenko had his eyes closed, and his head rested back against the seat. He looked oddly relaxed – a sharp contrast to what was going on inside her head.

_This was a bad idea_, she thought.

She thought back on what had started this whole mess. She and the lieutenant had been asked to attend a ceremonial dinner for some admiral that, apparently, they both knew. They had requested a few days shore leave to be able to attend the dinner and had taken off from the _Normandy_ together.

Unfortunately, Hannah Shepard had also been invited to this dinner. And, also unfortunately, she had seen her daughter arrive with the very handsome Lieutenant Alenko. Granted, she and Alenko had parted ways as soon as they had stepped foot in the ballroom, but Hannah Shepard spotted a perfect match for her daughter when she saw one…or so she said.

So, Hannah had made her way to Alenko (amid furious protests from a very embarrassed daughter), chatted him up, and invited him to spend the weekend at the family home. Shepard had done a mental facepalm at this before Alenko surprised her by accepting the invitation.

Shepard knew he was just being polite, but, quite frankly, the poor guy didn't have a chance. When Hannah Shepard set her mind to something, nothing could get in her way. Not to mention, she had a way with words – something Shepard herself had inherited.

And so, here they were, on a shuttle to the rarely used Shepard homestead. Alenko had taken everything in stride, not even mentioning how very awkward the whole situation was.

_This was definitely a bad idea_.

Shepard gave his arm a gentle nudge…and then completely forgot what she was going to tell him when he turned around to look at her.

His dark brown eyes looked at her questioningly. She could feel her heart accelerate under his warm gaze. Her skin tingled from where her arm had brushed against his. She opened her mouth to say something – anything – but the words got caught in her throat. _Did it just go up like 50 degrees in here?_ Her body began to feel unnaturally warm, and she couldn't seem to catch her breath.

"Commander?" he asked, a worried look now etching across his face.

"I – uh…" she managed to stutter. So much for having a way with words.

_Must. Look. Away,_ she thought as she forced herself to face forward. She closed her eyes and mentally chastised herself. What the hell was wrong with her? Of course she thought the lieutenant was handsome. And, hell, if she had a credit for every time she stared at his butt, she would be rich by now. But that was beside the point. She was acting like lovesick teenager, and this had never happened to her. Ever.

"Are you okay?"

She turned back to look at him, but was very careful to avoid looking into his eyes.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. Lost my train of thought for a moment," she replied, focusing on the shuttle door behind him. "You don't have to do this, you know. You can pretend to be sick and go back to doing whatever it was you were going to do with the rest of your shore leave. I'll cover for you, I promise."

His small laugh brought her gaze back to his face. "It's okay, Commander. I had nothing else planned for the weekend. Besides, I don't think your mom left me much choice."

She gave him a smile before looking out the window. "Yep. That's Hannah Shepard for you. My mother will force you into doing something without actually forcing you to do it. It's a gift. And a curse." She noticed that they were nearing her house, and she turned back to him. "Last chance to back out."

He gave her an odd look, something Shepard couldn't recognize, before his face broke into another laugh. "I'll take my chances."

Shepard shrugged as the shuttle pulled up to the front of the house. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she called over her shoulder as she stepped out of the vehicle.

Hannah Shepard pulled her daughter into a quick hug before moving over to Alenko.

"Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Shepard," Alenko said as he, too, was pulled in for a quick hug.

"Oh, hush!" Hannah Shepard replied, keeping one hand on his arm. "Please, call me Hannah."

Shepard managed to stifle a laugh. She had never seen her mom acting like this. Sure, Hannah had always tried to set her up on dates, but this was the first time she had actually invited someone over for the weekend. Not that Shepard would tell Alenko that. She didn't want him to think that her mom was trying to set them up. She was, but Alenko didn't need to know that.

In fact, the less he knew, the better. Hannah had something up her sleeve. Shepard could feel it.

She followed her mother and Alenko into the house. It was a small ranch-style house, only three bedrooms with a large open kitchen and living room, but it was the 100 acres the house sat on that Shepard loved the most. After months in space, it was always nice to come home to the Shepard homestead during shore leave. She would usually spend that time enjoying the fresh air outside.

Shepard made her way to her bedroom, leaving her mother to give Alenko the house tour. She thought about saving Alenko from her mother, but then changed her mind. He could take care of himself. She was in the process of taking out her clothes from her duffle bag when the bedroom door opened.

"You know how contractors can be, so God knows how long that will take," Hannah was saying as she motioned Alenko inside. "So, you'll be staying in this room, instead."

"Uh, mom? I think you mean he'll be staying in the guest room. That's the room next door." She gave her mom a weird look. She knew Hannah was getting up there in age, but surely she remembered the layout of the house. It wasn't like they lived in a mansion or anything.

"No, no, dear," Hannah replied sweetly. "If you had bothered to follow us on the house tour…" (Shepard barely managed to roll her eyes). "…you would have heard me explain that the guest bedroom is being renovated. You and Kaidan will simply have to share your bedroom and bathroom."

Shepard looked from her mom to Alenko, who was starting to look slightly uncomfortable at this turn of events. _Serves him right_. _I tried giving him a way out, and he didn't take it_. She moved past him and her mom to the guest room and saw that a large piece of plastic covered the door. She moved her hands up to remove the plastic before she was stopped by her mom.

"What are you doing?" Hannah asked, grabbing Shepard's arm and leading her back to her room. "I told you, it's being renovated. If you remove the plastic, the dust will spread all over the house."

Shepard gave her mom an I-know-what-you're-doing-and-it's-not-gonna-work look, but Hannah simply smiled again and pushed both Shepard and Alenko back into the room.

"Why don't you both take some time to freshen up?" Hannah said, her eyes twinkling. "Dinner will be ready in an hour." And with that, she simply closed the door leaving Shepard and Alenko in awkward silence.

Shepard groaned. Hannah must have seen something in Alenko to make her not only invite him over to the house, but also have him stay in her bedroom. She turned back and noticed that he had resigned himself to following Hannah Shepard's orders. He had his back to her as he looked at her trophies and pictures. She allowed her gaze to move down until it rested on his butt, then shook her head and went back to sorting out her clothes.

She sighed. _This is going to be a long weekend_.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: I just wanted to say that Alenko's scene was inspired by sesheta255's "Amoeba!" (great story, by the way!). Oh, and Bioware owns all. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Shepard stared at the ceiling of her bedroom as the sunlight began to filter in through the window. Was it morning already? She hadn't slept at all. All night, her mind had been filled with thoughts of Alenko. Thoughts that should not even be going through her mind in the first place.

Of course, Alenko, always the gentleman, had slept on the floor. His back was probably killing him. The _Normandy_ sleeper pods, uncomfortable as they were, were probably way better than the hardwood floor of her bedroom.

Speaking of sleeper pods…she hadn't slept this close to Alenko since before she became XO of the _Normandy_. She and Alenko usually worked the same shift and there were times when they had slept next to each other, each in their own communal sleeper pod.

However, this was different. They were actually in the same room together. She had never noticed how nice he smelled. His scent filled up the room, and she inhaled happily. She had also enjoyed hearing him breathe. As weird as that sounded, his deep, even breaths when he had fallen asleep had relaxed her. She had leaned over the side of the bed and watched him sleep. She could barely make out his features in the dark, but she had already memorized them. His thick eyebrows, warm brown eyes, his perfect mouth…

Shepard groaned. And that was why she hadn't been able to sleep. She needed to go for a run to clear her head. She couldn't go around with these thoughts constantly invading her mind. She would never get anything done, and he would probably think she was creepy. _Come on, Shepard, watching him sleep?_ Curse her mother for setting up this weekend and messing with her feelings for Alenko.

She quietly made her way out of bed before realizing Alenko wasn't there. Huh. She hadn't even heard him leave. Maybe she had slept a little after all. She brushed her teeth, changed into her workout clothes, and headed outside. A run and fresh air would do her good.

* * *

Five miles later, Shepard walked into her house feeling refreshed. She paused when she entered the living room and wondered why it had never occurred to her to have Alenko sleep on the sofa. _Because you secretly wanted him in your room_. Shepard shook the thought from her head. During her run, she had decided that she wasn't going to think of the lieutenant in _that_ way. She had enough on her mind without naughty images of him creeping into her head.

The smell of biscuits and fresh coffee broke her thoughts, and she made her way into the kitchen. Hannah Shepard was setting out a tray of biscuits on a cooling rack.

"Hey, ma." Shepard reached in for a biscuit. "Have you seen Alenko?"

Hannah slapped her daughter's hand away from the biscuits. "The last I saw him, he was in the barn tinkering with your father's old truck."

Shepard couldn't help but laugh. "That's Alenko all right. Always fixing things. I should have known dad's truck would catch his eye."

"You know, Kaidan reminds me so much of your father…"

Shepard held up a hand. "Mom, stop. Seriously. Whatever it is you are planning or even thinking, just stop it right now."

"What, honey? I'm just saying that you and Kaidan can – "

"No, we can't. Mom, you of all people should understand the rules on fraternization."

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I do. How do you think your father and I met?"

Shepard allowed herself a moment of reflection. She knew her parents had met on a ship, but she didn't know the exact details behind it. Maybe that was why her mom was so adamant on getting her and Alenko together. They reminded her of her own relationship with her dad.

Well, her mother was in for a rude awakening. She and Alenko did not have a relationship other than superior and subordinate. That was that and nothing was going to change…that. _Remember, no more thoughts about Alenko. Mom can try anything she wants, but she is not going to win this time. Alenko is nothing more than a fellow marine_. Shepard smiled in her mother's direction. She was not going to continue this conversation.

"Well, I'll go take a shower. Alenko will probably be outside for a long time with that truck. God knows dad never go it to start," she said, walking to her room.

She locked the door behind her (in case Alenko decided to return to the room) and began taking off her clothes. All she wanted was a nice, hot shower. Maybe she would throw in a little lavender oil to help her relax.

Huh. That was odd. She had been in such a hurry to go for her run, she didn't notice she had left the light on in the bathroom. She opened the door, and her breath caught in her throat.

Alenko was standing in front of the sink, one hand poised with a razor that was halfway up to his face. His lower face was covered in white shaving foam, and his wet hair was slicked back. Drops of water dotted his bare upper body, and a white towel was wrapped around his waist. His scent filled her senses, and her heart pounded against her chest. She wanted, more than anything, to run her hands over his muscular body. To press her lips against his and lose herself in his taste.

It wasn't until she saw his gaze moved down her body that she realized she was naked.

"O-Oh, my God!" Shepard cried out, trying in vain to cover herself with her hands.

He opened his mouth to say something, but she shut the bathroom door in his face. She grabbed her pants and hopped from one leg to another as she tried to put them on. She grabbed the nearest shirt (not caring at the moment that it was Alenko's) and pulled it over her head. She could feel her body burning with embarrassment and fumbled with the lock on the door before pulling it open and heading out to the kitchen.

"You evil, evil woman," Shepard whispered to her mother. She didn't want Alenko to hear the conversation.

Hannah put down her coffee cup, a look of feigned innocence on her face. "What is the matter, dear? You didn't enjoy your shower?"

"You know very well I haven't gotten in the shower," she said, pointing to her clothes and trying to ignore how good Alenko's shirt smelled. "Alenko was in there, half-naked, beads of water on his body, towel hanging low around his waist…"

"Oh?"

Her mother's response brought Shepard's mind to the present. "You knew he was in there!" she pointed at her mother accusingly.

Hannah let out a gasp. "I knew no such thing!" she said, sounding almost hurt. "I told you I saw him outside in the barn. I was in the kitchen making breakfast. If he walked in, I sure didn't hear him."

Shepard narrowed her eyes not believing a word her mother was saying. She was certainly not going to tell her that Alenko had seen her naked. No, her mother wasn't going to win that easily. That would be her and Alenko's little secret – one she was going to threaten him to keep if she had to. Hannah cocked an eyebrow and gave her a smile.

Shepard let out a frustrated groan. She whirled around and bumped straight into Alenko. He reached his arms out to steady her.

"Commander! I'm so sorry! I didn't – "

Shepard held up her hand. She would talk to Alenko about their little incident later. Somewhere far away from her mother. "It's okay. No harm no foul." She could feel her face getting red. She had placed her hands on his shoulders to keep from falling when she had run into him. She could feel his muscles rippling underneath her fingertips. His hands still held her arms, and she was disappointed when he let her go. His fingers still burned on her skin. How could such a simple touch incite such a huge reaction?

She stepped to the side before her mother figured out what she was thinking and went back to her room. She locked the bathroom door behind her and leaned back against it. His smell still lingered in the bathroom and the image of him standing in front of the sink fluttered into her mind. She needed a shower. A long, cold shower.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN: Ok, one more chapter after this. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Shepard showered and dressed quickly. She didn't want to leave Alenko out with her mom any longer than she had to. God only knew what kind of thoughts that woman was putting into his head. Kids, marriage, kids…she practically ran into the kitchen. To her surprise, they were talking about her dad's truck.

"So I turned it on, and it works just fine," Alenko finished before taking a sip of his coffee.

"What? No way!" Shepard sat down at the table, forgetting her embarrassment from their bathroom incident earlier. "Dad and I would sit in the barn for hours trying to figure that old thing out. I can't believe you got it to work!"

Alenko shrugged and gave her a smile making her heart skip a beat. She quickly looked down and concentrated on pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Why don't you two go for a ride?" Hannah suggested, and Shepard looked up in surprise.

"Um…what?" Shepard asked, her hand paused in mid-air as she reached for the sugar bowl.

"Yes, it'll be fun!" Hannah's face lit up. "I'll make you some sandwiches, and you can have a picnic by that pond you love to go to. Why not?"

_Why not, indeed._ Shepard wracked her brain for an excuse not to go when she saw Alenko's face. She knew he was probably dying to drive the truck, and the look of excitement on his face melted her heart.

"Sure," Shepard said, trying to sound like it was no big deal. "We can go right after breakfast."

She was rewarded with a big smile. What was it with Alenko's smile that made her heart go crazy? It took all she had not to grin like an idiot. She knew her mom was watching her closely, and she didn't want her to think that she was starting to feel something for Alenko. Thinking he was hot did not mean she was falling in love with him. Because she wasn't. Really.

Alenko excused himself to go outside and get the truck. Both Hannah and Shepard cocked their heads to the side as they watched him leave.

Well, if there was one thing she had in common with her mother…they both liked a good ass when they saw one.

* * *

Shepard forced herself to relax. What was the matter with her? She could talk to Alenko just fine on the _Normandy_. Why was she so nervous now? _Maybe because he frickin' saw you naked._

"You know, in my defense, your mom told me that you had gone out for a run," Alenko said, startling her. It was almost as if he had read her thoughts.

_And she told _me_ you were outside in the barn_. "I guess I got back earlier than you expected," she forced a laugh, the embarrassment from earlier returning full force. Back on the _Normandy_, she always felt like she was in control. She was the Commander. But get her away from her ship and armor, and she was just another woman making awkward conversation.

"Can't say I wasn't surprised when you opened the door…naked." He parked the truck and opened the door to get out.

Shepard quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back in. "Alenko, I swear that if word gets out – "

He put both hands up in defense. "I won't say anything. I promise." A corner of his mouth was working its way into a smile.

"This isn't funny!" she cried out, though his smile was contagious. "_You're_ not the one that was standing there naked." Her embarrassment was slowly abating.

"If you had gotten there a few minutes earlier, the roles would've been reversed."

She shook her head and made her way out of the truck. She didn't even want to think of a naked Kaidan Alenko. Seeing him in a towel was enough to send her heart racing. She grabbed the picnic basket and blanket from the bed of the truck and started walking toward the pond.

"I still can't believe you got that truck to work," she called over her shoulder, deliberately changing the subject.

"No big deal," he said, catching up to her and taking the picnic basket while she set the blanket down.

"I would sit in the barn for hours watching my dad play around with that old truck." She paused, thinking back on those days. The thought of her father made her nostalgic, and she made a pretense of smoothing out the blanket on the ground. "No matter what he did, he never got that damn truck to work. But the time with him was priceless. Something I will forever hold in my heart."

She sat down and looked away from him. He had already seen her naked, she didn't want him to see her all emotional, too.

Alenko sat down beside her and cleared his throat.

"Shepard…"

The mention of her name surprised her, but she said nothing. Alenko was always so formal and respectful even when they were off-duty that it was nice seeing him away from the military scene. Maybe this weekend would do him good and loosen him up a little.

"There was nothing wrong with the truck," he continued.

It took a while for the words to register before she slowly turned to look at him. "What? What do you mean?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "The truck," he repeated. " I didn't do anything to it."

Confusion settled into her thoughts. "You mean you didn't fix it?"

He nodded, his eyes giving her a gentle look. "I think your dad just pretended to be fixing the truck so that he could spend time with you." He gave her that odd look again, the one she had seen on the shuttle when she had given him a last chance to back out. That look and his words reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite think of what it was.

She gave him a sad smile and turned to look at the water. She had requested every shore leave to coincide with the shore leave of her parents. She would always look forward to spending that time with them, but what she had loved the most was being out in the barn with her dad.

"I think in the back of my mind I always knew there was nothing wrong with the truck. It wasn't so much about fixing the truck, but rather the bonding time that we had while doing it." She sighed, not wanting to get too emotional. "My father was a great man. You would've liked him."

"If he was anything like you, I know I would have," Alenko replied placing his hand on top of hers and giving it a gentle squeeze.

And then it hit her. Alenko's look, his words. She turned back to him, her hand still in his. "Hey, you know that control panel next to my cabin on the _Normandy_?"

She felt him stiffen. "Yes…"

"Is it ever really broken?"

A pause. This time it was Alenko's turn to look away. She watched a play of emotions go across his face and, when he finally turned to look at her, his eyes were intense and serious.

"No."

* * *

Shepard walked back into the house feeling content. They had eaten their sandwiches in comfortable silence and returned to the house, neither really making an issue of their conversation. She had preferred it that way.

Sure, her heart had danced a little jig when she had insinuated he was just 'fixing' the control panel so that he could spend time with her. She enjoyed talking to him, and there was no harm in just talking, right? That didn't mean he was going to propose marriage right then and there (much to her mother's dismay).

"Hey, ma!" Shepard called out going through the house. "We're back." Alenko, always the tech, had opted to stay outside to study the mechanics of the truck.

She paused when she saw a note in the kitchen.

_Honey,_

_I'm meeting some friends in town. Might not be back in time for dinner. There are steaks in the fridge (and candles in my room). Enjoy your evening!_

So, her mom had conveniently met some friends in town, had she? Shepard walked to the fridge and, sure enough, there were only two steaks marinating in plastic bags. And, what's this? A six-pack of beer? Her mom had sure been busy while they had been out.

Well, she would have dinner with the lieutenant. But that was all she was willing to budge. He was sleeping on the sofa tonight and tomorrow morning they would be on their way back to the _Normandy_ (and away from her mom).

Shepard almost laughed out loud. Was this really the best her mom could do? An accidental scene in the bathroom and dinner alone with Alenko? The picnic didn't really count as her mom didn't know the truck worked. Or did she? Not that it mattered anyway. Her mother's plan to set her up with Alenko was not working.

Shepard made a mental note to gloat to her mom before leaving the next morning. Hannah thought she was so clever, but Shepard had been on to her from the start. She couldn't wait to tell her mom that her plan had failed.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN: I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far! I'm thinking just one more chapter (I know, I know that's what I said the last time), but some ideas got the better of me. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Shepard rifled through her mother's make-up box and then stopped herself. What was she doing? She had never worn make up before. Why would she start now? It's not like this was a date or anything. She was just having a friendly dinner with a fellow marine. Nothing more.

She just needed to be herself. Just like she always was when she was around him. He liked her just the way she was. Well, not _like_ like in that way, but like as a friend. Because that's what they were. Friends. Just two friends having dinner together. No need for candles here.

She finished dressing and then made her way outside to the back patio. Her breath hitched when she saw Alenko standing by the grill. He had a beer in one hand, and his hips were cocked to one side as he looked over the steaks. How could a man make jeans and a t-shirt look so good? The fading sunlight cast an almost ethereal glow around him. His tanned skin only accentuated the muscles underneath. The man was pure muscle, and Alenko wore his muscles extremely well. _Too well, in fact_, she thought appraisingly as her eyes looked him over.

Not that she had noticed. She admitted to checking him out when she thought no one was looking. I mean, who wouldn't? But it was in a _friendly_ way. Because that's what he was to her. A friend. _Yeah, just keep repeating that to yourself._

"How do you like it?" he asked, turning around to face her.

A very naughty image entered her mind as her gaze flicked back to his face. "Huh?"

"Your steak. Rare, medium, well?"

"O-Oh. Heh." She reached into the cooler for a beer and wished she could just dip her whole head in there to cool the heat rushing to her face. Seriously, she had lost count of how many times she had blushed these past two days. "Well done."

She took a long sip of the cold beer. Maybe the alcohol would help calm her nerves, help her relax…remind her to breathe. She noticed that he rolled his neck on his shoulders several times and resisted the urge to go up to him and give him a massage.

"Something wrong with your neck?" she asked instead, not trusting herself to get any closer to him.

"I guess I just slept wrong," he answered. "It's been hurting all day."

Yep, hardwood floors do that to necks and backs when you sleep on them. "Why don't you sleep on the…" _Sofa. Say "so-fa"_. "…bed?" Crap. She hadn't meant to say that. It seemed the alcohol had loosened her tongue.

He looked up at her in surprise. Hell, she was surprised herself.

"N-Not like that," she stammered out, forcing a laugh. "The bed is big enough for the both of us. You can sleep on top of the covers." It was a lame explanation, she knew.

"Uh, sure. If you don't mind," he said, the look of surprise still in his eyes.

She shrugged, making it seem like it was nothing, though her heart was pounding furiously. "Nah. No big deal."

She busied herself by serving the salad she had made earlier and then moved near the grill, plates in hand, when Alenko had announced the steaks were ready.

His fingers brushed over hers when he took the plates from her. Her heart fluttered in her chest and begged for more contact. _Focus, Shepard, focus. No more touching. Just go sit down and enjoy your dinner_.

They spent the rest of the meal talking about the _Normandy_, their crew, and the various missions they had been on. She enjoyed seeing Alenko in a different setting other than the _Normandy_ or the battlefield. He was always so serious, and this lighter side of him suited him really well. She was almost sad when the dinner was over.

So, they had had dinner just like her mom wanted. Except, nothing had happened, just like Shepard had known. She could almost see her mother's disappointment when she realized she and Alenko had not fallen madly in love with each other over dinner.

Shepard sighed and got up to take the plates into the kitchen when she heard the front door open. That was strange. She didn't think her mother would be getting home so early. She thought her mom would've given her and Alenko more time alone together. The sound of various voices made Shepard look up in alarm. What the…

"Honey, you remember my friend, Diane?"

"Er…" Shepard had no idea who the woman was.

"My daughter has so many things on her mind these days," Hannah explained to her friend before turning back to Shepard. "Diane's husband served with your father about fifteen years ago."

"Oh, of course," Shepard said, flashing her signature "Commander" smile. She still didn't know who the heck the woman was, but the practiced smile would make it seem like she did.

Hannah stepped to the side. "And this is Diane's daughter, Adrianna."

The smile faltered. Holy crap. Shepard had never felt so lacking in anything in all her life. Until now. Not only was Adrianna beautiful, she even had a sexy-sounding name.

Shepard wouldn't consider herself ugly, but the military life did not leave much room to glam up or be "girly". She suddenly wished she had put on make-up after all. Next to Adrianna, Shepard probably looked like an ogre.

Unfortunately, Alenko chose that moment to walk into the room, and Hannah made a beeline for him, Adrianna in tow.

"Lieutenant Alenko, Kaidan. This is my friend, Diane and her daughter, Adrianna," Hannah said, practically throwing Adrianna against him.

"Nice to meet you," Alenko replied, a smile forming on his face.

Shepard frowned. It took all her military training not to punch that impish grin right off Alenko's face.

"Adrianna just finished her degree in engineering," Hannah continued, leading Alenko, Diane and Adrianna into the living room.

_Big woop. I'm the first human Spectre, and you don't see _me_ blabbing it around the room_. Shepard crossed her arms across her chest and leaned back against the kitchen counter. She could hear her mom and Diane going off about Adrianna this and Adrianna that. Hannah sat Adrianna down next to Alenko on the couch, and Shepard's heart began to race. Her hands balled up into fists under her arms, and she suddenly felt the urge to shoot something…or someone.

Shepard decided that she was just being protective of her friend. Adrianna looked like the kind of girl who would rip a nice, serious guy like Alenko to shreds. The poor guy didn't understand what was going on. He couldn't see that Adrianna wasn't interested in what he was saying. She just wanted one thing from him. In fact, Shepard could practically see Adrianna already undressing Alenko with her eyes. Well, as a friend, she felt it was up to her to save him. Shepard uncrossed her arms and was about to step into the living room when Hannah stopped her.

"Honey, please help me take some drinks out to our guests."

Shepard reluctantly followed her mom back into the kitchen, still keeping an eye on Alenko and Adrianna.

"What do you think of Adrianna? Such a nice, intelligent girl," Hannah sighed, opening the fridge and peering inside. "And a looker, too. I think her and Kaidan would make a nice couple, don't you think?"

If Shepard clenched her jaw any tighter, her teeth would break. Her heart fell to her stomach at the mention of the word "couple", and she could feel a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. She remained silent as her mother handed her bottles of water.

"Honey? Are you feeling okay? You look like you're coming down with something," Hannah said, raising a hand to her daughter's forehead to feel her temperature.

"I'm fine," Shepard murmured, ducking away from her mother's hand and walking out to the living room. She handed everyone a bottle of water (practically throwing one to Adrianna) and sat down on Alenko's other side.

Her mother resumed a conversation with Diane while Alenko and Adrianna continued to talk about the latest tech mods. Shepard was surprised to hear how nice Adrianna sounded. _So not only was she beautiful and intelligent, she was also frickin' nice?_

Shepard suddenly felt…defeated. Like she had been working hard for something and lost it in a second. She felt out of place. Her mother and Diane were laughing and reminiscing about the "good old days", and Alenko looked like he was actually enjoying the conversation with Adrianna. _So much for saving him_.

Shepard quietly excused herself and made her way outside. She needed to get some air before she karate chopped Adrianna for being so perfect. It was already dark outside, but she had walked the path to the barn so many times that she knew it by heart.

She pulled the barn door open, turned on the lantern by the door and walked to the wooden crate she had always sat on when she would talk to her dad. She climbed onto the crate and sat down hugging her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees as she studied her arms in the dim light. They were riddled with scars, just like the rest of her body. She wasn't perfect, she knew that. But being next to Adrianna had made her feel like all her imperfections stood out.

She didn't like feeling vulnerable or self-conscious. She wanted to go back to the _Normandy_. To go back to being Commander Shepard, confident, strong, and even a little bit cocky.

The sound of footsteps made her look up. She was surprised to see Alenko standing at the door.

"Shepard? What are you doing here?" he asked, moving closer until he stood in front of her.

"I…uh, just needed some fresh air," she replied, resting her chin on her knees again. "What are _you _doing here? I thought you were enjoying your conversation with Little Miss Perfect." She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Is that why you're really here? Because you're…jealous?"

Shepard's head snapped up. "Me? Jealous?" she scoffed. "I'm not…why would I…pffft, no."

She could see the laughter in his eyes, and she got off the crate to punch him in the arm.

"Ow, what was that for?" he said, rubbing his arm.

"For laughing at me. And saying I'm jealous." It wasn't jealousy what she was feeling, right? The way she wanted to pound in Adrianna's perfect little face just for looking at Alenko. The way her heart felt crushed when she had seen Alenko talking to Adrianna.

"Shepard, Adrianna may have the brains _and_ the looks…"

"Gee, thanks, Alenko. That makes me feel _so_ much better."

"…but there's one thing that is seriously wrong with her."

Shepard knitted her brows and waited to hear this one flaw in an otherwise perfect woman. Alenko moved in closer. He leaned down until she could feel his breath on her neck, making goosebumps rise all over her skin. Her heart raced, only this time it wasn't out of "jealousy". His scent enveloped her, and she almost closed her eyes in content.

"And what is that?" she breathed out, not trusting her voice to speak any louder.

"She's not you."

And with that, he made his way out of the barn leaving her frozen in place and completely speechless.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: Sorry for the delay in this last chapter. It was my birthday this past Saturday (woo!) so I took a few days off from work for an extra long weekend, and I'm just getting back into the groove of things. So anyway, thank you so much for your reviews! This started out as a fun little fluffy story only couple of chapters long, but your words inspired me to add a few more chapters. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it! I have a couple more Shenko fluffs in my head and a Shenko continuation story that I am still working on so you'll be hearing from me pretty soon. Again, thank you and enjoy!**_

_**~Kassy**_

* * *

Alenko's words reverberated in her mind. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread from her stomach all the way to her limbs. She practically floated back to the house and was surprised to see that only the back patio light was on.

How long had she been standing in the barn? Apparently long enough for her mother's friends to leave (thank God) and for her mother to go to bed (also, thank God). She didn't want for Hannah to be asking her why she couldn't stop grinning like an idiot. She was still trying to make sense of it herself.

She noticed the light was still on in her room and decided to knock before going in. As much as she wanted to see Alenko half-naked again (this time on purpose), she waited until she heard a soft "come in" before opening the door.

Alenko had changed into some sweatpants and a muscle shirt and, while he wasn't half-naked, it still made her heartbeat quicken. She grabbed some clothes and made her way to the restroom. Why oh why had she ever suggested he sleep on the bed? Her heart was already accelerating at an abnormal rate. She was sure she would suffer a heart attack once she actually got into the bed next to him.

She changed and went through her nightly bathroom ritual. Her hand moved to open the door but paused on the doorknob.

She was nervous. She almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the situation. Here was Commander Shepard, top of her N7 class, first human Spectre, all around bad ass soldier – and she was afraid to face the man out in her room. Or was she afraid to face the feelings he always stirred in her?

Shepard frowned. His words had certainly stirred something. _Suck it up, Shepard, you can do this. Just go out there and make light of the situation_. She took a deep breath and stepped out into her room. The lamp on her nightstand illuminated the room, and Alenko was sitting in bed reading a magazine. She quickly got under the covers and began building a wall of pillows between them.

He looked up from his magazine and raised an eyebrow at her.

"So we won't invade each other's spaces during the night," she explained lamely and snorted back a laugh. Did she just snort? Dear Lord, could this weekend get any more embarrassing? "Not that I would go into your half of the bed. I pretty much sleep like a log. Yep, just sleep in one position all night. But this is the first time I sleep with a man...I-I mean, _sleep_ sleep…wait, that didn't sound right…" _Shut up. Just shut up right now and go to sleep_. "So, anyway, good night."

She could feel her face burning, yet again, and made it a point to throw the covers over her head as she turned over in bed. She heard the click of the desk lamp being turned off and felt Alenko shifting his weight as he settled down next to the pillow wall. What she wouldn't give to be in his arms at this very moment. To feel his strong arms around her and get lost in his scent. She almost sighed out loud.

Shepard's mind raced with everything that had happened in the past two days. Tomorrow they would be going back to the _Normandy,_ and everything would go back to normal. Her feelings for Alenko, whatever they were, would be suppressed just like they always were.

She stayed up listening to Alenko's even breaths before sleep finally took over. Well, at least a girl could dream.

* * *

She woke up drooling all over him.

Her mouth was slightly open at the base of his neck, and one arm was draped across his stomach. Her legs had somehow gotten wrapped around his. What the hell…

As her senses began to clear, she stiffened at the awkward positioning of their bodies. For his part, Alenko seemed to be in a deep sleep. One arm was lazily drawn around her shoulders, but he didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable. How had she gotten to his half of the bed in the first place? She slowly lifted her head up, not wanting to wake up Alenko, and noticed that the pillows that had been between them were now strewn all over the floor. She had to get out of bed. Now. As much as she wanted to cuddle into his warmth and go back to sleep, she didn't want to risk him waking up and finding her all over him.

Hmmmm. How would she do this? Stealth certainly wasn't her biggest talent. She was known for dropping into a merc base guns a-blazing. Well, this was a mission in itself. She needed to disengage herself from Alenko without him waking up.

She carefully lifted her arm from his stomach making sure not to make any sudden movements. Good, good, he was still asleep. She then began the process of unwinding her legs from his. Her left leg was covering his left one, but under his right one. And her right leg was pinned under his left leg. How in the world could she have done that in her sleep? It was complicated, but she finally managed to pull her left leg away from his body. Her right leg, however, remained firmly in place underneath him. Crap.

She had done a damn good job so far, she wasn't going to stop now. She had half a mind to just push Alenko off the bed when he suddenly grunted in his sleep, brought his arm around and pulled her to him. Great, now they were spooning. His arm held her securely around the waist, and her back was pressed against his chest.

Intense heat washed over her body, making her lose her breath. She could feel him pressed intimately against her, and it took all she had not to rip the clothes off both their bodies and make love to him right then and there.

She was wide awake now and wondered how she was going to get herself out of this position. At this point, she didn't care if she woke him up or not. A sudden thought struck her mind. She slowly shifted her body so that she was now facing him. Unfortunately, his hand now cupped her butt, but she would worry about that later (and she kinda liked it there anyway). She brought her hand up to the side of his face and then lifted her head up until it was level with his. She could feel his deep, even breaths on her face.

Damn, he was a heavy sleeper. She had never noticed that back on the _Normandy_. A bomb could probably go off outside her room and he would sleep right through it. Well, if this didn't wake him up, she didn't know what would. She closed her eyes and then gently pressed her lips to his.

Shepard lost all her senses. She had meant to just give him a quick peck to see if he would wake up, but as soon as their lips touched all hell broke loose.

He had opened his eyes in surprise and then closed them as he deepened the kiss. Shepard opened her mouth invitingly completely forgetting herself in his taste. Desperation now fueled the fire that had been stirring inside of her. The heat she had been feeling earlier now engulfed both their bodies. Months of suppressed feelings erupted into a flow of hot, wet kisses. Her hands roved up and down his sculpted body as his own hands got tangled in her hair.

She lost control. It was like their bodies were made just for each other. They melded perfectly together and, in the back of her mind, she berated herself for not giving in to her feelings sooner. For waiting too damn long because she was afraid of what she felt for him. And even more afraid that he would not feel the same way about her.

All that had changed in just a couple of days. His words had opened up the world for her. She couldn't get enough of him…she could never get enough of him. Kaidan was the only one for her, she could feel it in her heart. And she was the only one for him.

* * *

Hannah Shepard waved goodbye as the shuttle drove away from the house. She closed the front door behind her, humming a nameless tune as she made her way through the house. She walked up to the guest bedroom and ripped the plastic off the door. Hannah chuckled to herself. She couldn't believe her daughter had fallen for the old "renovating the room" trick. She knew her daughter had suspected foul play, but Hannah was banking on her daughter's feelings for Kaidan for the weekend to work. When her daughter didn't ask Kaidan to sleep in the living room…that's when Hannah knew that her own gut feelings about the two of them had been correct.

She had suspected a romance the moment they had stepped into the ballroom together at the ceremonial dinner. Yet, it was a romance that was obvious to everybody except to them. She had seen the way her daughter and Kaidan looked at each other. Those sidelong glances, the constant checking out of each other's butts, the way they had gone their separate ways yet always managed to be near each other.

This weekend was meant as an awakening. Hannah knew that Kaidan was already in love with her daughter. He could see it in the way he looked at her. It was her stubborn daughter that needed convincing that she was in love with Kaidan.

It had taken a while, but her daughter had finally opened her heart in the end, and Hannah was not disappointed.

Yes, Hannah Shepard had spotted a perfect match for her daughter that night. She was glad that her daughter had seen it too.


End file.
